1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for slicing elongated food articles into slabs and transferring such slabs into containers. More particularly, a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be applied to pickle processing and packaging.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, cucumbers to be used as pickles are cut into longitudinal "spears" and then stored in containers. A "spear" is a longitudinally cut piece having a generally triangular cross-section. A number of methods and equipment have been developed to improve the process of creating and packing "spears". See, for example, Eisenberg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,468,098; Eisenberg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,518; Egee, U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,368; Hengstenberg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,017; and Arnoth et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,640. However, due to the triangular size of each spear and the geometry of the jar, the available storage space of each jar is usually not optimally utilized, thereby resulting in inefficient and wasteful packaging.
A recently popularized pickle style is the "slab" pickle, for use in sandwiches. This requires that the cucumbers be sliced into longitudinal, uniformly thick slices. This has been done using either one of two known slicing methods. In one such method, an opposing belt conveyor grips and accelerates the cucumber to a high velocity thereby sending it freely through a column of stationary blades. The individual slices are then propelled through a tube into a curtain or water bath to slow them to a stop. This slicing method is generally not very efficient. The high speed encounter of the whole cucumber with the blades and of the slices with a decelerating media impart damage to the slices resulting in a lower yield.
In a second lesser known method, water knife technology is used to slice the cucumber. This method is generally regarded as slow. In addition, it requires very high costs in both initial investment and maintenance.
According to present cucumber packing practice, after slicing the slices are delivered to a work area of between sixty (60) to seventy (70) packing personnel or packers via a wide belt conveyor or tote pans. A continuous supply of jars moves past each packing station. Each packer then takes an empty jar and manually places fourteen (14) to eighteen (18) slices into the jar and returns it full to the glass line conveyor. Throughput averages about one hundred and twenty (120) jars per minute. At sixth-five (65) packers, the rate per packer is less than two (2) jars per minute. Yields reportedly vary from fifty (50) to sixty (60) percent.